Preparing your office for the winter

Preparing your business premises for winter

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Even though it doesn’t seem like we’ve had much of a summer this year, it’s now time to prepare for the autumn and winter. No one can accurately predict what the weather will be doing in the next few months, but we think it’s safe to say that there will definitely be days when it’s frosty and icy, and there’s a high probability that, at some point, there will be snow. So this is the best time to start your preparations to ensure that your business won’t be adversely affected when the bad weather hits. 
 

De-icing supplies 

The first thing is to make sure you have enough de-icing supplies to help you clear snow and ice from the exterior of your premises, whether you only have a small entryway or large grounds with paths and car parking. Having grit, grit spreaders, grit containers and snow shovels ready will enable you to clear any snow and ice and keep your staff and visitors safe. 

Make sure everything’s in good working order 

Reduce the risk of equipment breaking down during a cold snap by scheduling planned preventative maintenance. As part of our facilities management services, our engineers will service your plant, machinery, boilers and electrical items to ensure they meet safety standards, will highlight anything that needs repairing and will arrange to repair it at a time that suits you… not when it breaks down in the midst of a cold snap and brings your business to a grinding halt! 

Insulate insulate insulate

You don’t need to glue yourself to the M25 to help the environment and make the world a better place. Make sure your building and pipes are well insulated before the cold weather arrives and you’ll reduce the risk of freezing pipes causing damage and also save money on your energy bills.  

Insulate

Don’t be a drip 

If you have any dripping taps, especially external taps, get them sorted out now. In cold conditions, there’s a danger that the drips will freeze up, increasing the risk of blocked pipes which could cause damage. Another good reason to repair dripping taps is that if you don’t, you’ll be pouring money down the drain. You may think that such a small thing won’t do any harm, but just one dripping tap can waste 5,500 litres a year… and you’re paying for it!  

Clean your gutters 

Autumn leaves may look pretty, but once they’ve fallen from the trees, some of them will end up in your guttering. Come the bitterly cold and wet months of January and February, and clumps of dead leaves could block your gutters, meaning they’ll overflow when it rains causing a nuisance and potential health and safety risks. If you clear the dead leaves from gutters at the end of autumn, the likelihood of blocked drains occurring is drastically reduced. 

De-ice

Have a business continuity plan 

Thanks to remote working during the pandemic, snow days for office staff are a thing of the past. Bad news for snowman construction, but good news for your productivity. As long as employees have computer access, they’ll no longer need to endure the heavy traffic, closed roads and delayed buses and trains that can massively disrupt your commute – and therefore your business – when there’s a snowstorm. All you need to do is keep an eye on the forecast and, if bad weather looks like it’s on its way, make sure that everyone has whatever they need to log on from home. 

Give us a call to discuss your Facilities Management needs and we will be happy to provide a quotation to suit your workplace and premises. Email hello@quillsuk.co.uk  or call 0845078 0324.